Policy & Regulations

This channel includes news coverage of healthcare policy and regulations set by Congress, the states, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and medical associations and societies.

Catholic hospital sued for refusing to perform emergency abortion on a hemorrhaging patient
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is suing Providence St. Joseph Hospital to discourage an incident like this from happening in the future.
Newsom vetoes bill to regulate private equity transactions in healthcare
Assembly Bill 3129 would have given the California Attorney General oversight of all private equity investments or purchases involving a healthcare entity. Gov. Gavin Newsom argued that a similar regulatory framework is already in place.
FDA announces recall of Pfizer's fast-tracked sickle cell drug
The drugmaker is voluntarily withdrawing Oxbryta from the market due to a higher-than-acceptable risk of death.
Public health coalition wins lawsuit against EPA for lack of fluoride oversight
A federal judge in California ruled existing evidence of the negative effects of fluoride in drinking water warrants an investigation and potential action from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Cardiology groups cheer new bill that would improve access to Medicare claims data
If passed, this bill would help clinician-led clinical registries explore Medicare data for research purposes. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and American College of Cardiology both shared public support for the bipartisan legislation.

Baylor Scott & White, Memorial Hermann won’t merge

After signing a letter of intent to explore a merger in October 2018, Baylor Scott & White Health and Memorial Hermann Health System have dissolved the plan.

February 5, 2019

Industry support gathers for expanding MA benefits in 2020

Since CMS proposed expanding supplemental benefits for Medicare Advantage for the 2020 plan year, several industry groups have voiced their support, seeing opportunities to improve care for individuals with chronic illnesses and lower costs.

February 5, 2019

HHS proposal tackles drug rebates

HHS has proposed lowering drug costs by targeting the rebate system, which has recently come under scrutiny as an opaque setup that keeps drug prices high.

February 4, 2019

Zuckerberg Hospital pauses balance billing practice after media reports

Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital has temporarily halted its “aggressive” billing practices after media reports brought backlash against the trauma center named after Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

February 1, 2019

CHI and Dignity complete merger, renamed CommonSpirit

Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) and Dignity Health have completed their merger, launching a new nonprofit Catholic health system, CommonSpirit Health. The deal brings together two of the nation’s largest Catholic healthcare systems.

February 1, 2019

HCA completes $1.5B acquisition of Mission Health

Nashville-based HCA Healthcare completed its purchase of Mission Health for approximately $1.5 billion.

February 1, 2019

Human insulin therapy minimizes out-of-pocket costs for type 2 diabetics

Switching type 2 diabetics from analogue insulin therapies to human insulin products saves patients money without compromising health, according to new research published in JAMA.

January 31, 2019

Nearly half of adults haven’t heard of Medicare for all

Nearly half––46 percent––of adults reported they had not heard of a health policy known as Medicare for all, according to a recent AmeriSpeak Spotlight on Health survey from NORC at the University of Chicago.

January 31, 2019

Around the web

Cardiovascular Business

Cardiology groups cheer new bill that would improve access to Medicare claims data

If passed, this bill would help clinician-led clinical registries explore Medicare data for research purposes. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and American College of Cardiology both shared public support for the bipartisan legislation.

Cardiovascular Business

Watchdog group, fearful of fraud, wants more oversight for remote patient monitoring

Cardiologists and other physicians may soon need to provide much more information when ordering remote patient monitoring for Medicare patients.

Cardiovascular Business

Most recalled cardiovascular devices gained FDA approval with little to no clinical evidence

Why are so many cardiovascular devices involved in Class I recalls? One possible reason could be the large number of devices hitting the market without undergoing much premarket clinical testing.